Panic Zone

"Panic Zone" was the 1987 debut EP by American hip hop group N.W.A, whose songs were later featured on the compilation N.W.A. and the Posse, which was a reissue of 12" EPs and singles released by Macola Records, the then manufacturer and distributor of Ruthless Records, N.W.A's label.

Apart from the title track and "8-Ball", the record also included "Dopeman", a song about a local drug dealer who is waited on hand and foot by frequent clients whose lives have been ruined as a result of their consumption of his products.

This track was also the B-side of a split single release with Eazy-E's Boyz-n-the-Hood two years later, following the commercial success of Eazy-E's solo debut Eazy-Duz-It and the group's first album proper, Straight Outta Compton, on which a remix of "Dopeman" was included.

The song later appeared on The Best of N.W.A. - The Strength of Street Knowledge. It contains a sample from Funky Worm by the Ohio Players.

Despite its notoriety and popularity, "Dopeman" was never released as a single proper.

At 0:58 the song contains a reference to Scarface: "To be a dopeman, boy, you must qualify - don't get high off your own supply."

Featured MC Krazy Dee raps towards the end of the song: "Yo, Mr Dopeman, you think you're slick, You sold crack to my sister, and now she's sick, But if she happens to die because of your drugs, I'm putting in your culo[1] a .38 slug."

Track listing

1. "Panic Zone" – 4:30
2. "Dopeman (Radio Edit)" – 4:42
3. "8-Ball (Radio Edit)" – 4:20
4. "Dopeman" – 6:00
5. "8-Ball" – 4:00

Personnel

• Eazy-E - Executive Producer
• Dr. Dre - Engineer, Producer
• Donovan Smith - Engineer
• Brian Gardner - Mastering Engineer
• Phil Bedel - Photography